Government has given the university more money, to the tune of $4 million, in order to maintain the tuition freeze for students from Newfoundland and Labrador.

But its regular operating grant is cut by an overall $7 million.

MUN will now have to find another $3 million in savings, without being able to increase tuition fees.

Where will money come from?

Minister Gerry Byrne said he believes it's "very much achievable" for Memorial to find those savings, without compromising services to students.

Alex Noel says students are happy to see the extension of a long-running freeze on tuition fees. (Sherry Vivian/CBC)

In light of the consideration that MUN is an institution that gets half a billion dollars annually, Byrne said he thinks these are operational cuts the university can afford.

As for where he thinks those efficiencies can come from, Byrne said that's a discussion to be had between government and the university.

Alex Noel, chair of the Canadian Federation of Students in Newfoundland and Labrador says the tuition freeze commitment is a huge victory.

Citing research that shows the freeze helps attract and retain young people in the province, Noel said it's important that the freeze apply to students who come from outside the province.

"It has to include all students at Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic — all students, whether they're undergraduate students, graduate students, Canadian students, international students," Noel said.

"There have been tuition fee increases for certain demographics of students over the past couple of years and so we need to emphasize that this fee freeze must include all students in order to have the greatest and most meaningful impact."

Student tuition, funding

Meanwhile, students from this province can expect to see the same low tuition fees they're used to, but Byrne said there will be a shift in how they can avail of government funding for student grants.